The simple definition of an antioxidant is a
substance that protects against free radical damage at the cellular level.
It is widely accepted in scientific circles nowadays, that most of the
degenerative diseases that plague humanity have as their cause free radical
damage, and in fact a 1993 study by Pracon, Inc (Reston, VA) concluded that
simply by having Americans take optimal amounts of the 3 best known
antioxidants, Vit. C, Vit. E and beta-carotene, the Health Care system in this
country would save $8.7 billion annually from reduced hospitalization for heart
attacks and cancer alone!
Alpha Lipoic Acid can almost be
termed the perfect antioxidant
Not only is it capable of reviving itself to
fight again after sacrificing itself on the field of battle, but it enables
Vitamins C & E to reconstitute themselves too. Some studies have in fact
shown that when taking Alpha Lipoic Acid, it is possible to reduce the amounts
of the other vitamins one needs to take to protect health.
This is not the most important facet of Alpha
Lipoic Acid, however: that is its presence not only in the waters of the body,
but also in the fatty membranes and the lipoproteins. It is noted for its
ability to both lower cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar levels.
Alpha Lipoic
Acid is hepato-protective - it protects the liver from damage caused by the many
chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis: it therefore also protects
our persons from the symptoms of chemical sensitivities, and Candidiasis.
As for its importance in liver inflammation and viral attack, for
many alternative practitioners it is the nutrient of first choice.
A 2007 study in mice
is suggesting that ALA may be valuable for preventing the breakdown of cartilage
in Rheumatoid Arthritis - (Lee EY, Lee CK, et al,
Rheumatology International, 2007; 27(3): 225-233). The
study authors go so far as to say that "these results indicate that
alpha-lipoic acid may be a new adjunctive therapy for rheumatoid
arthritis."
In Europe, ALA has been used for 30 years
as a medically approved treatment for diabetes: studies done at the University
of Pennsylvania in 1970 show that it increases the rate at which the body
converts sugar into energy, and also slows the damage caused in diabetics such
as cataracts ( one of Alpha Lipoic Acid's major functions is to
protect and facilitate the production of
Glutathionein the cells, and cataract tissue has low levels of Glutathione..) and neuropathy.
Speaking of cataract tissue, a 1995 study by Dr. Lester Packer found ALA
extremely protective against cataracts in diabetics:
being both water and fat soluble it is able to penetrate deep into the tissue of
the lens in its mission to destroy free radicals. (Packer,
L., et al. Alpha-lipoic acid as a biological antioxidant. Free Rad Biol Med.
19:227-250, 1995.)
Alpha Lipoic Acid should also
be considered if you are taking Statin drugs to control cholesterol, in
view of the recently suggested connection
between Statin drugs and neuropathy
(see RESOURCES)
In some cases, ALA is so effective, that very
close monitoring of blood glucose levels is recommended to avoid having them
fall too low: a 1999 study published in Diabetic Medicine, (16(12):
1040-1043) used 600 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily for 3 weeks to bring about
significant improvement in diabetic neuropathy, accompanied by NO side-effects. Nerve
damage is one of diabetes' most devastating complications and affects more
than 50 percent of all diabetics. Its typical course is relentlessly downhill
and there are no effective medicines to treat it. But now there is hope. A study
recently published in Diabetes Care reports that the antioxidant nutrient alpha-lipoic
acid (ALA) can partly restore diabetic nerve function after only four months of
high-dose ( 300 mg 3 x daily) oral treatment.
Treatment
of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid. -
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/8/1296?maxtoshow=&HITS=&hits=&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=lipoic+acid&searchid=1034863029414_1326&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=diacare
Alpha-Lipoic
Acid as a New Treatment for Patients with Alzheimer's disease - http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/36936
In an
article by Dr. Richard Podell, he states that
Diabetics with
autonomic neuropathy are five times more likely to die early than diabetics with
healthy nervous systems. A damaged nervous system may render them more
susceptible to heart disease, poor wound healing and infection--dangerous
conditions that ALA promises to prevent. However,
diabetics should consult their doctors before supplementing, as their
normal dose of insulin could then be dangerously strong.
Some in vitro studies have shown actual
nerve regrowth with Alpha Lipoic Acid, and some stroke victims have had
encouraging results.
An ongoing study(2002) in the Netherlands is
having some positive results studying the connection between oxidative stress
and diabetic neuropathy, what they term hyperglycemia-induced nerve dysfunction.
They state:" Most probably, the effects of antioxidants are mediated by
correction of nutritive blood flow", and some studies have shown promising
reduction of neuropathic symptoms using vitamin E and Alpha Lipoic Acid. (go
here for the abstract) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12112935&dopt=Abstract More
studies are currenly being performed.
Dr. Passwater, in his book Lipoic
Acid: the Metabolic Antioxidant,strongly recommends using Alpha
Lipoic Acid where heart disease is present, particularly where high cholesterol
is involved. Part of its importance relates to its role in protecting Vitamin E,
but studies with rabbits (used previously for cholesterol studies worldwide)
have shown a lowering effect of 40% for blood cholesterol and 45%
for cholesterol on aortic tissue. He also has an interesting passage in
which he points out that when we read of diseases being genetic, it is possible
we think that exercising, eating right and supplementing will make no
difference. But these genes may remain passive and harmless if they are
protected against attack by free radicals: Alpha Lipoic Acid has the ability to
protect the genetic material DNA, in the cell nucleus, and may therefore be a
potent factor in protecting us against such possibly inherited weaknesses. Not
only that, protecting the gene so that it can reproduce and regulate without
damage, has implications for both aging and cancer.
It would also appear that Alpha Lipoic Acid
should be looked at for MS victims, as the following study shows:
Reactive oxygen species are required
for the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages.
van der Goes A, Brouwer J, Hoekstra K, Roos D, van den Berg TK,
Dijkstra CD.
Department of Cell Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije
Universiteit, BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.van_der_goes.cell@med.vu.nl
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis
of multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).
In this study we showed that the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages
triggers the production of ROS. We also demonstrated that ROS play a crucial
role in the myelin phagocytosis. Blocking the ROS production with NADPH
oxidase inhibitors (100 microM DPI or 10 mM Apocynin) essentially prevented
the phagocytosis of myelin. Furthermore, scavenging of ROS with catalase
(H2O2) or mannitol (OH-) decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages,
whereas superoxide dismutase (O2-) did not show this effect. In addition,
Lipoic acid (LA), a non-specific scavenger of ROS, also decreased the
phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. In our results, we demonstrate for the
first time that ROS appear to play a regulatory role in the phagocytosis of
myelin.
PMID: 9916881 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Alpha Lipoic Acid is definitely an important
addition to the antioxidant team, and while small amounts are available in our
diet, for beneficial results it will need to be taken as a supplement. The
generally recommended amount is 50 mg daily, though amounts used in diabetics
have been much higher. Approach it cautiously at first, there is always the
remote possibility of an allergic reaction - and while it is completely safe,
until tests have been done it would be wisest to avoid it if you are pregnant.
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